Black History Today: Marvin Pierre, writing a new story for his city's youth
/Black History Today, created by Marcus Harden in honor of Black History Month, pays tribute to the living legacy of Black history in our community and beyond and recognizes the people shaping the future.
Presented in collaboration with the South Seattle Emerald.
“You are where you are today because you stand on somebody’s shoulders. And wherever you are heading, you cannot get there by yourself. If you stand on the shoulders of others, you have a reciprocal responsibility to live your life so that others may stand on your shoulders. It’s the quid pro quo of life. We exist temporarily through what we take, but we live forever through what we give.”
By Marcus Harden
It is said that are truly measured not by how we treat the “best of us,” but by how, even in discomfort, we treat those others see as “least.”
Marvin Pierre serves as a true GIANT amongst servant leaders in his adopted home of Houston, Texas (not to mention the rest of the world). From humble beginnings as part of a strong Haitian family, growing up in South Jamaica Queens with his hardworking mother whom he deeply honors, Marvin understood success very differently from the purpose he’s found now.
Through the guidance and support of his mentor, Dr. Stan McFadden, Marvin enrolled as a young Black male in Tabor Academy, one of the top prep/boarding schools in the country. The culture clash was a hard one to navigate, yet with The Culture deeply embedded in him, he saw the stark differences between the places his intellect and talents could take him and the places he came from.
Ever-present in Marvin throughout was an undeniable commitment to being his very best. It remains a defining characteristic of his today. He is living the ethos of the Will Smith quote: “The only thing that I see that is distinctly different about me is I'm not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be out-worked, period. But if we get on the treadmill together, there's two things: You're getting off first, or I'm going to die. It's really that simple, right?”
Marvin’s journey would take him to where he thought success was found: Wall Street. In his young 20s, working for Goldman Sachs as a young Black man, many would say that he’d made it. Yet deep down, Marvin knew that there was more for him, a call he hadn’t answered.
So, he’d venture into education, where as a teacher and a school leader he’d change the trajectory of lives. Yet he knew there was still more to be done.
It wasn’t until answering a call from a friend (and soon to be co-founder), who made him aware of the deeply embedded school-to-prison pipeline, that purpose would illuminate and the occasion to serve and change lives came to life.
Marvin went beyond awareness to help co-found 8 Million Stories in Houston, and create a school and programming and, most importantly, giving hope to the 12,000-some students who are lost to the city of Houston. Eight Million Stories gives them the technical skills, academic skills and life skills to see that there’s a better path and they are more than just “juvenile offenders.”
Through Marvin’s leadership, a revamped facility has been built, and partnerships with the Houston Texans, AT&T and PNC Bank formed, all leading to programming and opportunities for youth.
What’s most powerful about Marvin, though, is his unwavering commitment. This is truly a man dedicated to his passion and purpose.
You can find him flying to cities where his 8 Million Stories alumni are experiencing college for the first time as first-gen college-goers. He’s there offering words of wisdom or tough edicts on keeping their dorm room clean, all while beaming with pride at their accomplishments, truly serving as the embodiment of the “village” it takes to raise children.
Marvin Pierre walks the walk, talks the talk and simultaneously stands on top of and shoulder-to-shoulder with the giants of the past. He is an inspiration, he is a systems-changer, and he is truthfully one of the greatest men I’ve ever met. His heart is undeniable, and his story has helped shape the 8 Million more that are to come, which is why he is, indeed, Black History Today!
Original artwork created by Devin Chicras for the South Seattle Emerald.
